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[Enter your best, “We don’t need no stinkin’ badges” impersonation here]

Get your own!

I think I’m going to make a page called, “Badges” and put all of the cards, badges, widgets, and whatchamacallits on it.

I’ve got to remember to post on my blog which gets fed into Facebook via FriendFeed… now I risk being repetitive.

Quote…

‘You’re in a visible position in your organization–people listen to what you say and watch what you do. Step back, take a look at yourself and consider these three common pitfalls that may undermine your effectiveness: 1. There are now four distinct generations interwoven into the workforce. Do you know how to deal with each of them? 2. People make mistakes. But how do you treat them when they do? That could be more important than fixing the error. 3. When you stand up to speak, do people check out to snooze? Don’t let “boring” be your brand.’

As for number one, which one wins in an argument when the eldest representing generation fails to see the benefit or is not aware of ’social media’? No matter how many times you try to describe it or how many websites utilize web 2.0, there are some people that are adamant about not ‘changing’. So who wins when the latest generation comes to the table with great opportunities and the eldest generation says, “I’ll pass”? Oh, by the way, the eldest generation signs the checks.

Number two: this is always overlooked by upper management. My mother gave me this piece of wisdom and I think it should apply. She said, “Don’t kick the elevator boy. He might be your boss one day.” And, since we are in a multi-generational workforce where outside the box thinking can really impact an organization, this idea might not be far from the truth.

I’ve also heard how you treat those that serve you is how you will be treated.

The one thing I look for when I’m interviewing clients is how well they treat servants at restaurants or how they talk to people on the phone. When someone makes a mistake, these ‘patterns of behavior’ are important to notice when dealing with a co-worker, boss, or client. They are truly telling.

As for number three on their list, I’m not sure they are approaching this from the right angle. I mean, boring is a perception, not a fact. If someone is ‘boring’ then that usually means to me that they are either asleep or so predictable that they become irrelevant of interaction. To someone else boring might mean the person is not hip to the latest in People Magazine. Which to me is obviously short-sighted. See what I mean? I think people get ‘perception’ and ‘truth’ mixed up in our world, socially and professionally.

I would say, ‘Be engaging’, but I would not say, ‘Don’t be boring’. Emphasize the positive results, not the negative possibilities, and you too can be a leader in the workforce or the very model of a modern major general.

In closing, I went to a Skillpath seminar once. It was about computer graphics (my work wanted me to go). Everything looked ok until the presenter pulled the ‘overhead projector’ complete with the transparencies. Talk about not being engaging. At least it was entertaining!

The picture has no relevancy. I just wanted to use it somewhere.

Captain America

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